I thought I should add my own brief comments on the remarks by Gabriel if only to begin what should be a great debate on a topic of national development. The IDP should usher in a time of reflection and review with action on the high road to development in Dominica. I say this because as is well known, what is now a major blow to the self esteem of Dominicans is the amount of the national energy spent through the media, on pulling down all and sundry. This time would be better devoted to the type of informed and mature debate that the IDP ought to generate. I consider the points raised by Gabriel to be vital for the next steps as we move to determine how to best utilize the body of knowledge contained in the IDP approach. I do however feel some preliminary observations would not be out of place.

On the issue of what is perceived to be the 'minimal role' ascribed to the Diaspora in the report some comments would be in order. I do not think there can be any suggestion that some definite and deliberate attempt was made to highlight the role of the Diaspora in an IDP approach to Dominica's advancement. In many parts of the document clear and unequivocal references are made in that regard. That more could be said may not be in doubt either. However, to propose that some more obvious reference should be made to the 'symposiums' held as authentic evidence of Diaspora contributions is difficult to understand. One only has to roam through the long established and distinguished record of the Diaspora in Dominica's development to discern what is at stake here. One finds that from the Scholarship programme in the early 50's that gave many a Dominican an opportunity to attend secondary school, to the far reaching contributions made in the aftermath of hurricane David. Doctors, nurses, pharmaceuticals, clinics built, refurbishing large sections of the hospital and more. Those came from the UK, from North America, the Caribbean and elsewhere. Then we come to an area of which Gabriel would be well aware, that is the substantive nature of the representation for Dominica provided by the Diaspora world wide including Gabriel and the team in the US, and McDonald Benjamin deceased in Italy and many others who gave extensively in this department without counting the cost. They operated largely as the embassy and consular offices for Dominica. These made very lasting impressions and yet could not be included given the nature of the assignment and the terms of reference which cannot be overlooked in any review of the assignment.

Finally it strikes me that the plan provides an all embracing platform of modalities to address many of the issues concerning social justice. A host of detailed programmes are advanced for small business development. In a real sense one very effective prescription for "pulling up the fallen one by one" in the words of the Song the Right Hand of God, is that of priority attention to the small business sector. Suggesting there was not a strong theme in the plan aiming a social justice could well be right when taken in isolation. But seen from the broad perspectives of steps to upgrade the human condition, such a conclusion may be too sweeping. No one can measure the liberating effect of the steps proposed for releasing the oppressive burden of the public administration in all its manifestation on the people of Dominica. The call here by all and sundry for urgent action was unanimous even by public servants themselves. From speeding up the issue of birth certificates and passports, to obtaining vouchers at the Treasury and the excruciating pain involved in clearing the proceeds of the barrel economy (thanks again to the Diaspora), the cause of social justice would be well served by the measures proposed and the priority assigned to them. In fact significant parts of the document deal at length with addressing the concerns of the 'marginalized sectors' of the society. Further elaboration of this would turn up many more examples and could be a very valuable exercise given that the thrust of the IDP is upgrading the human condition.